Pansy's fault
by gredandforgerock
Summary: **Take 3** 3rd in the series on the marriage law (Stopped in Time is the 1st story, and Sanctuary is 2nd). The first half of chapter 1 is the same (and will be for all of those in this series). With just a few small changes the story ends up completely different. Changes are: 1. Time travel messages. 2. No pairings. How do they get out of it this time.
1. Chapter 1

**Pansy's Fault or How Pansy Cause the Zombie Apocalypse**

"They can't do this." Ginny Weasley shouted at her father, "How can you allow this to happen?"

"Sweet heart I'm sorry." He replied, "I don't have any power to stop this."

"But you do." Harry said calmly to Kingsley.

"I tried." He sighed, "But we don't have enough people on our side. Those that are light side are opposing us. We're backing the purebloods on this one. They're just terrified if they don't pair a light or neutral person to a dark person they'll have another major dark wizard in a matter of a few years."

"They're going to if they force us to marry someone they choose." Harry frowned, "It will be me. Parkinson will drive me to it. There isn't any way at all that I'd consent to having sex with her."

"I'm sure Malfoy will be dead within a week." Ginny huffed.

"With Nott right behind him." Hermione growled.

"Bulstrode." Ron whimpered still looking at the paper containing his spouse to be.

"Oh, I don't feel so bad now." Ginny snickered at her older brother, "That is seriously disgusting."

"Do you have a list of all persons being affected by this?" Harry asked.

"I do. I can't let you have it, but if a copy was to be made of this list there would be nothing I could do if I didn't know it." Kingsley smirked laying the parchment on the table and turning his back, as did the other adults in the room.

"You have a meet and greet tomorrow." Arthur mumbled as they all turned back after a few seconds, "All of you together in one place to be matched up with your chosen."

"I'm not going." Ron declared, "I think I'm moving to Australia."

"Oh we're going." Harry grinned evilly, "We're all going."

"Harry, I don't like that look." Kingsley grimaced.

"I like it." Ginny grinned, "What are we going to do?"

"Go to the library." Harry chuckled at the mouths that dropped open.

"Hey that's Mione's line." Ron spluttered.

"He can borrow it." Hermione was all for anything to get out of a marriage with Theodore Nott.

"Old laws aren't going to help you." Kingsley sighed, "This one supersedes anything that has been in place before."

"Oh well." Harry let his shoulders droop and turned his back, "I guess we can't do anything."

Only the wink to his friends let them know he wasn't backing down. To help with the ruse the other three also drooped and turned and made their way to Ron's room. They closed the door, locking and silencing it before Hermione turned on Harry.

"What's the plan?"

"First we need to get everyone involved to Hogwarts." Harry stated.

"You mean Slytherins too?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Everyone." Harry declared, "I'm sure they are just as ticked as we are about being forced to marry each other."

"Point." He conceded.

"Letters are going to take too long." Hermione was quickly calculating how much time they had to get a meeting arranged before the event the next evening.

"It won't take us an hour." Harry grinned, "All we have to do is get to Hogwarts."

"How are we supposed to get into Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Portkey." Harry pulled a snitch out of his pocket. When his friends lifted an eyebrow he explained, "McGonagall gave it to me as an emergency portkey in case I get attacked or overwhelmed by fans. It takes me to Gryffindor tower."

"What are we waiting for?" Ginny placed a finger on the small ball.

Ron and Hermione followed with just a bit of reluctance. Harry tapped the ball with his wand and they all felt the pull as they disappeared in a swirl of color. None of them heard the gentle knock as Molly tried to get them to open the door. It would be a good thirty minutes before Bill suggested they fly up to the window to get their attention. By that time of course they were long gone.

"Harry, what are you all doing here?" Minerva asked as they all ran into the Great Hall during a staff meeting.

"Emergency." Harry explained, "May we borrow the house elves?"

"What?" she asked.

"I need them all for just about three minutes." He explained, "Oh, can we kick you out of here?"

"Harry." McGonagall started.

"Have you seen the new marriage law?" he asked. When she shook her head he continued, "It is pairing a light person with a dark one in the hopes of preventing another dark wizard like Volde."

"That's ridiculous they can't do that." She huffed.

"They are." Harry pulled his paper out, "They've matched me with Parkinson of all people."

"She was all for handing him over to Volde if you remember correctly." Hermione reminded the group.

"We don't want you here so you can't be blamed for helping." Ginny finished.

"I think we'll adjourn this meeting to my office in ten minutes." Minerva stated standing, all the others left without a glance or another question, "Babble."

"Yes Headmistress." And old elf popped into the room.

"Aid Mr. Potter with whatever he needs please. Whether it be lunch or anything else." She stated and pulled the doors shut behind her as she went.

"What is you being needing?" he turned to the young man.

"Can you and the other elves please grab each of the people on this list and bring them back here." He asked and then thought of the literal way Dobby had taken everything, "Make sure they are properly dressed with no one straight out of the shower or anything. We just want them here within the hour."

"We can do that Master Harry." He nodded and popped away.

"Harry." Hermione started.

"Is it worth the argument to marry Nott instead of using what we can?" he stopped her before she could start.

"Right." She nodded, "But you will pay them."

"I will offer." He stated.

"I wonder why he called you master." Ginny pondered, "They don't usually do that unless you own them."

She didn't get her answer as people started popping into the hall. After about fifteen minutes the popping stopped but the roar of talking in the room was almost overpowering. Harry stood on the teacher's platform and set a loud firework off to catch everyone's attention. It quieted immediately and everyone turned to face him.

"Good morning, I trust you all received the same notice I did." He held up his ministry decree.

"Are you the one that kidnapped us all?" Draco yelled.

"I didn't kidnap you the house elves of Hogwarts did." He smiled, "I did express the interest in talking to all of you and you know how helpful they are."

"Good one Harry." Seamus called.

"Now Draco are you happy with the person they've chosen for you?" Harry addressed him since he was the one that spoke first.

"NO." he yelled, "They negated my contract with Astoria. We've had that since she was born."

"Right and I am betting the rest of you feel the same." He stated.

"But what can we do about it?" Padma asked from beside her sister, "It supersedes any laws or contracts placed before it."

"As I see it we can all rebel separately and bring many charges against the ministry and hold up court for a while." He said, "Or we can work together and rebel causing an upheaval of tremendous proportions. We already know we can beat any of them with magic. If we work together we can over throw the whole thing."

"How?" came a chorus of exclamations.

"I don't have a complete plan yet but if we work together we can develop one. We only have twenty four hours in which to do so." He said, "Can we put our differences behind us and work together?"

"What if we don't want to be led by you?" Pansy Parkinson growled out.

"I have an idea." Harry grinned, "Everyone, take a seat at your house table. Now we are going to vote for a leader. First nominations, they must be nominated and seconded and the person must agree to be nominated."

"I nominate Draco." She purred.

"I don't want it." Draco announced before it could be seconded, "If this falls flat I don't want to be blamed."

"Any others?"

"Harry Potter." Luna stood.

"I second it." Ron added immediately.

"I will agree to be nominated." He nodded, "Next?"

"Hermione Granger." George snickered from the back.

"NO." she stated loudly, "Though I thank you for the vote George."

They waited and no one else volunteered a name, Ron called it, "Anyone opposed to being led by Harry?" Pansy was the only one who raised her hand, "All for Harry?" Most of the room raised their hands.

"Ok thank you." Harry nodded, "Anyone who doesn't want to be a part of this stand up. Babble."

"Yes Master Harry." He asked softly.

"Everyone standing is to be returned home and their memories of this meeting taken." He stated. This caused a few gasps around the room.

Eighteen hours later they were closer but not ready for their rebellion. Everyone had been resting for the last few hours except Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna. The rest of the people in the room woke up as food began to appear on the tables. Harry was thinking deeply and only pushing the food around on his plate as he sat at the table.

"Is the food not to your liking Master Harry?" Babble appeared at his elbow.

"It's delicious as always." Harry wasn't paying attention he was thinking of the problem.

Babble stood for several more moment before he sighed and popped away. It was time for them to begin getting ready for the meet and greet. So the group left Hogwarts to their own homes. Harry was the last out of the Great Hall. He looked back with a sense of longing before he turned and left the building he considered home.

When they arrived at the Burrow they were met with concerned looks and Molly Weasley's anger, "Where have you been?"

"Hogwarts." They all answered together.

"We have a plan but not much of one." Hermione added.

"What are you going to do?" Arthur asked his voice and face full of concern.

Harry shook his head, "Lawsuits, we couldn't agree on any other option."

"I surprised you agreed on anything." Charlie added.

"You have to be there in an hour." Molly's anger was gone.

"We know Mum." Ron led the way upstairs.

They were back and properly dressed before the hour was up. A portkey was used to deposit them in a large room in the ministry. Groups of small tables for two were spread around the edge of the room. The middle of the floor was open. It took next to no time for all the people to arrive. Kingsley stood on the stage and began to speak.

"Before we begin I would encourage you to find your seat." He spoke with no emotion, "There are place names on each table so find the one with your name and sit there. You will be sitting with you ministry chosen partner."

"May we ask questions?" Hermione refused to move.

"There will be a question and answer time at one point today." He nodded to the young woman, "If you will please move to your seats so we can all be comfortable when we begin."

It was slow going but eventually the all found their seats. Harry was aware that he wasn't the only one refusing to look at their partner. Ron and Hermione were nowhere near him but Neville and Luna were with their partners within a few tables of Harry.

"Thank you." Kingsley stood again, "I am turning this over to the writer of this law, Delores Umbridge."

Not one person clapped. No one booed. No one seemed to even move. She stood at the podium for several moments smiling at them all. It was like she was waiting for the applause to end, but it had never begun. She cleared her throat with the same hem hem noise she always made.

"Thank you for that kind welcome." She seemed to focus on Harry, "It is so nice to see you all here with your ministry approved spouses to be."

Harry narrowed his eyes. This was just what he expected from her. He didn't notice that he wasn't the only narrow eyed glare. He did hear some people shuffling in their seats as Umbridge's sickly sweet voice continued.

"We are pleased at the positive response we've had to this new and exciting law." Several people openly scoffed at the woman but she ignored them, "We are generously allowing you up to six months for engagement before we expect marriages to occur and children should follow within one year. We are glad that you are willing to help restore our population."

More grumbling went around the room like a wave. Umbridge was smiling horridly up at the podium. Harry decided she was insane and could hear the applause that wasn't happening. It was the only thing that explained her pauses to him. It was also insanity to try and force these marriages on them.

Harry heard a familiar grumble and turned to find Draco and Ginny directly behind him, "She is insane."

"I think the same." Harry whispered back, "How big is our chance of getting her committed?"

"Probably not big enough." He smirked back, "I'm going to start my lawsuit tomorrow."

"Me too." Harry replied.

"Now to foster the relationships we will be having more meetings like this set up." Umbridge continued, "They will be safe, ministry approved meetings so you can feel comfortable and get to know your chosen spouse."

"She has to be kidding." Draco hissed.

"That insanity claim is sounding easier." Harry snickered.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Potter." She almost shrieked his name, "Thank you for volunteering to lead the dancing portion of this evening."

"I'm terribly sorry Madam." Harry said through gritted teeth, "I don't dance so I won't be volunteering to lead, thank you anyway."

"I must insist." She began.

Kingsley took the opportunity to interrupt, "Madam we are not ready for the dancing portion yet."

"But…" she tried.

"I'll take it from here." He shooed her back to her seat, "Any questions?"

Nearly every person in the room had a question. It obviously overwhelmed the man for a moment.

"Mr. Finch-Fletchy." Kingsley nodded at one table in the front.

"What if one of us doesn't like the other or we both don't like each other?" he asked, "Have we any recourse at all?"

"We picked the person we feel matched you most so you must learn to like them." Umbridge stood from her chair.

"I think this is a valid point." Kingsley ignored the woman, "I would suggest that if you spend this evening getting to know one another and you find yourselves not fitting let me know. I think some shuffling could be allowed. I don't think that is unreasonable."

"NO!" Umbridge stalked forward, "We fit them together using a very careful method and they cannot change."

"I believe we will discuss this during their visiting time." Kingsley glared her back to her seat, "Next question?" The number of hands were noticeably lower, "Ms. Granger."

"Do you really think it fair to place a muggle born with someone who is known to hate muggleborns." She asked, "Are you not afraid that the muggleborn will be abused? Why not put them with a halfblood."

"No one wants your opinion." Umbridge spat.

"I do." another woman near her stood, "I didn't think about the possibility of abuse when I voted for this."

"She is the smartest witch of her age, no one will be able to abuse her." Umbridge tried.

"I'm not the smartest witch." Lavender stood across from a large man Harry remembered seeing in Slytherin robes, "He's huge, what if he does something. What uuuum…"

"Recourse." Justin offered.

"Right what recourse would I have if I were afraid of him." She sat back.

The boy leaned forward and whispered to her as the people on the platform began to argue. Harry saw her grin and whisper back. Both nodded and then turned back to the commotion.

Harry raised his hand and Kinsley called on him over the arguing women, "Do any of you that voted to put Pansy and I together know anything about us?"

"Potter!" Umbridge turned on him.

"She was the first person who vocalized the wish to give me to Voldemort during the Battle at Hogwarts." He ignored her, "What would keep her from…"

A spot of light broke out in the middle of the dance floor stopping Harry from continuing. After a few moments it began to take a shape. Soon they could all see a man standing over a crystal. When the man looked up everyone gasped. It was an older version of Harry and he had far more scars than he had at the current moment. But it was undoubtedly him.

"Can anyone hear me?" He spoke loudly and you could hear banging in the back ground, "Merlin I hope this is getting out. I'm aiming this for near my eighteenth birthday, I hope I'm catching one of our ministry approved date nights." The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable, "You can't force them to marry each other. It has caused the end of the world. You must stop what you're doing."

More crashing could be heard and Harry looked back and shot a spell at the door.

"A few of the darker people wanted to get rid of their spouses once the ministry cancelled the law." He looked strained, "The decided to make a virus that would kill them since you wouldn't allow divorces. Unfortunately it didn't go as planned." The door began to show signs of breaking, "They didn't die and it didn't stop with them. The Virus can only be caught by a witch or wizard. They become zombies and then they bite muggles and they also became zombies."

Another spell at the door seemed to give it some strength but the image wavered dangerously.

"There are only a few of us left." He gasped and nearly crumbled, "That was the ward going."

"Don't stop recording, we've got to get this message out." It was unmistakably Draco's voice and his face as he came to help steady Harry, "They've got to believe you and stop Umbridge's insanity."

"Right." Harry got his feet back, "Like he said, stop the madness. Don't force these marriages or you'll doom us all."

"LIES." Umbridge yelled, "They are faking…"

"You must stop this farce. She is only trying to destroy the light side and you'll see it in a decade or so." Harry told them, "I just hope you listen…"

The door behind him gave way and they could all see zombies stumbling in. Harry turned on the spot and began to fire spells. Draco joined him as did several people they didn't recognize, but it didn't seem to do any good.

"Merlin we're dead." Draco stood beside Harry again, "If she weren't already a zombie I'd kill Parkinson for this."

"She couldn't wait to be rid of me." Harry kept throwing out spells, "I wanted to be rid of her too. She learned the hard way I'm immune to this kind of thing. Don't know why we're different and didn't catch it."

"I'd like to say it was my pureblood." Draco smirked, "But too many of them are in the ahhhhhh."

"Draco!" Harry flung the zombie away, "Are you immune to the bite?"

"Guess we'll find out." Draco coughed and the image blinked away.

"LIES."Umbridge screamed then pointed a finger at the two young men, "Arrest them for lying."

"You can't arrest someone for lying or you would have been behind bars a long time ago." The woman who had been arguing with Umbridge pulled her wand, "Stupify."

Umbridge fell to the ground and the room cheered. The woman who had stunned her gave a small smile and bow at the cheering crowd. It took several minutes before the crowd calmed.

"You know." Harry stood as the room calmed, "A quick question or two under veritaserum would clarify what her intentions were."

"We can't just dose everyone with veritaserum at any time." Kingsley frowned, "We need a valid reason."

"How about torturing students?" Harry asked, "Or using veritaserum on underaged students without parental permission. Maybe her muggleborn registration act or any of the other laws she has sponsored."

"Can you prove any of it?" Kingsley asked.

"I still have the scar from the blood quills she used in the multiple detentions she gave me for saying Voldemort had returned." Harry held up his hand, "She tried to give me veritaserum during another detention. I was fifteen."

"Let me see the scar." Kingsley left the podium and Harry met him half way.

"She used it on everyone." Draco offered, "She forced Professor Snape to provide the potion when she was acting as Headmistress."

"I remember that." Blaise stood, "I saw him hand it over unwillingly. She never questioned any of the Slytherins with it."

"I was questioned too." Padma Patil offered.

"Many of us had to use blood quills in detention." Ron stood, "I didn't have enough to get a scar like Harry's but I still had to do it."

"Me too." Hermione and the rest of the DA stood along with a few others.

"Is that enough?" Harry asked.

"I believe it is." Kingsley nodded at an auror who went and levitated the woman off to a cell, "After her trial we will revisit this law."

"All her laws." Harry suggested.

"I suppose you're correct." Kingsley nodded.

The next day nearly all of those who were tangled in the marriage law were in the court to hear Umbridge's trial. Harry actually went a step beyond most and provided a list of questions that may help convict her. He included the dementors that were sent after him before his fifth year.

Her trial, while full of questions, was mercifully short. Only five hours to convict the woman of more than twenty crimes including missuse of dementors, torture and lying on the stand. The woman who had stunned her was quite happy about that last one. In a quick meeting that followed the trial the Wizengamot cancelled the marriage law and offered apologies to all involved. The party that followed was one for the record books. They were all at the Three Broomsticks celebrating even the Slytherins joined in, well most of them.

"Lav what did you and your Slytherin talk about during the questions?" Seamus asked.

"He just wanted to make sure I didn't really think that badly of him." She snickered, "I told him of course not that I was just making a point for them to think about."

"Well that's nice." Seamus grinned, "So do you feel like going on a date with me?"

"Actually, I have a date with him first. If things don't work out I'll let you know." She smirked.

Harry laughed at her before he was pulled away by Draco and Hermione, "What?"

"We need to figure out how we did that and do it." Draco told him.

"What?" Harry had no idea what he was talking about.

"The zombie apocalypse." Hermione told him, "We need to recreate it and make it look like it happened. We'll need an aging potion for you and Draco. Two people will have to be transfigured so they're unknown and we'll need zombies."

"I don't remember what I said." Harry looked thoughtful.

"I've got it." Hermione handed over a paper with the words, "Do you think we can get everyone to participate?"

"Yes no problem." Draco grinned, "At least everyone whose here. I think I know the spell we used. I didn't think of it before because it can only go back days not years. You need someone powerful enough to kick start the crystal we'll need."

"Harry can supply the power." Hermione nodded I think that was what he was doing when it started, "It wavered that one time he sent the spell."

"We'll need to practice a couple times." Harry said thoughtfully, "Where can we do this?"

"We can do it in the Hogshead." Hermione grinned, "Abe will kick everyone out for us."

"I need to get a large crystal." Draco looked thoughtful.

"Like this?" Luna pulled one out of her pocket.

"Yes, how did you know to bring it?" Draco took the crystal with a look of awe.

"The nargles told me it might be useful." She sauntered off.

"She's lo…" Draco began.

"No she isn't'." Harry stopped him, "I think she may be a seer. I think nargles and wrackspurts are her way of dealing with seeing things she can't do anything about."

"I guess." Draco shrugged.

"Anyone up for a bit of fun?" Harry called to the room, "You have to be able to keep it a secret."

Harry's normal group was the first to join followed by a few DA member and a couple more Slytherins since Draco was already part of it. They followed Hermione out the door and across town to the Hogshead. It was empty except for Aberforth.

"Can we use your bar for a bit?" Harry asked.

"Are you going to make noise?" he asked gruffly.

"Yes." Harry nodded, "Quite a lot."

"I'm headed to get some supplies." He grumbled, "Don't break anything you can't fix, clean the place when you leave and lock up."

"Thanks." Harry grinned as he turned back to the group, "Ok everyone let's begin shall we."

Draco drew lines to show the visual field the crystal would have. Then Hermione began to transform the room while Harry and Draco practiced their lines. Everyone else began transfiguring zombies out of the each other.

"Aging potion." Ron returned, he'd volunteered to get it from the apocothary, "I do wonder why they would keep aging potion on hand. How many people want to get older?

"I can be used on things other than people." Draco snickered, "Some cheeses and wines are better aged, why wait when you can age them with a potion."

"That doesn't sound appetizing." Ron paled.

"Hermione what at you doing?" Harry gained their attention.

"I don't want to have zombies waiting outside where anyone could see them." She huffed, "I'm putting up a fake wall. Zombies on that side will make the crashing and booming noises and then crash thought his door instead of Abe's."

"Oh, that actually makes sense." Harry admitted, "Remember to leave two people unzombiefied so they can help with battling you all."

"We're all zombies." One of the others said.

"Only Ron and Hermione are left." Draco grinned, "Makeup time."

"I've got to do the directing." Hermione argued.

"You're only seen in the last few seconds." Harry scoffed, "You can direct the rest."

"Fine than we're doing a full dress rehearsal except for Harry and Draco being aged." She huffed, "I'll send red sparks when you need to make noise, yellow sparks when you splinter the door and green sparks to break in. Remember zombies stumble with your arms out."

Everyone got in place and Hermione sent up the red sparks. Harry gave it a few seconds then began his lines. During his lines Hermione transfigured Ron and he began to do hers after the yellow sparks went up. She was ready in time for the green sparks.

"Excellent everyone, ok aging potion you two and give Harry some scars." Hermione directed.

"I don't remember what scars he had." Ron bit his lip.

"Don't worry so much about that." Hermione told him, "Just do it and it will be right."

"Huh?" he asked.

"You did it last time and it will be the same because you're doing it now." She tried.

"And that means?" he questioned.

"You are doing it for the first time now." Harry explained, "What we will remember is what you are doing now because that is what we will have seen yesterday."

"If you say so." Ron gave him several scars.

"Everyone in place." Hermione ordered, "Harry start charging the crystal now."

Draco tapped his leg under the table when the crystal had enough power. Harry slowly looked up at the crystal.

"Can anyone hear me?" He spoke loudly.


End file.
